Are you confused about whether the criteria for the 4th Livelihood Support Fund apply equally to all citizens nationwide, or if your region is eligible? As of September 9, 2026, the '4th Livelihood Support Fund' is closer to a collective term for livelihood stability and recovery support projects by each local government, rather than a single official project name for a lump-sum payment made by the central government to all citizens.
Therefore, the key is to separately check the eligibility for payment, the resident registration cutoff date, and the application period for the city, county, or district where you reside. In this article, I will summarize the amounts and cutoff dates by region, as well as examples of inflow and outflow, and application methods, based on actual verified cases.
First, the true nature of the 4th livelihood support fund
It is not a central government project that automatically pays the same amount to all citizens. Even if you reside in a metropolitan area such as Seoul, Gyeonggi, Busan, Daegu, or Incheon, actual eligibility for support depends on whether the relevant city, county, or district has announced a separate plan.
Even within the same metropolitan area, the amounts and schedules vary by local government. For example, Uiryeong-gun in South Gyeongsang Province and Hampyeong-gun in South Jeolla Province are listed as 500,000 won per person, Tongyeong-si in South Gyeongsang Province as 350,000 won, Wanju-gun in North Jeolla Province and Yeongdong-gun in North Chungcheong Province as 300,000 won, and Sokcho-si in Gangwon Province as 200,000 won.
‘Rather than the name '4th round,' the official announcement and resident registration cutoff date of the city, county, or district where I live determine actual eligibility.
There are still regions in the stage of supplementary budget formulation or parliamentary deliberation. Areas introduced as being in progress or under review, such as Dangjin-si, Naju-si, and Goheung-gun, should be distinguished from regions where payments have been confirmed.
Comparison of amounts and application periods by region
Based on the cases disclosed so far, payment amounts range from 200,000 won to 500,000 won depending on the region. The phrase "up to 500,000 won" refers to amounts in certain regions and does not mean that all residents will receive the same amount.
| region | Amount per person | Application and Payment Schedule | Payment method or features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam | 500,000 won | August 10, 2026 – September 11, 2026 | Resident registration reference date June 30 |
| Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do | 500,000 won | September 7, 2026 – October 8, 2026 | Resident registration reference date: July 1st |
| Tongyeong City, Gyeongnam | 350,000 won | Application of regional announcement schedule | Detailed schedule will be announced separately. |
| Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do | 300,000 won | August 31, 2026 – October 2, 2026 | local currency system |
| Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk | 300,000 won | From September 8, 2026 | Resident registration reference date: July 31 |
| Sokcho, Gangwon Province | 200,000 won | July 20, 2026 – September 11 | Operation of application and payment period |
For example, in a region where the payment is 500,000 won per person, if there are 4 eligible family members, the total becomes 2 million won. In places like Wanju-gun, where 300,000 won is paid per person, it is calculated as 1.2 million won for a family of four.
The reason why the resident registration cutoff date is the most important
The criterion for selecting eligible candidates is rather than income Whether or not resident registration was in that areaIt is often aligned with [this]. However, the reference date varies by local government, so Uiryeong-gun applies June 30, 2026, Hampyeong-gun applies July 1, and Wanju-gun applies July 31.
Whether an address must be maintained as of the application date even if one moved in before the reference date, and how residents who moved after the reference date are handled, depend on the regulations of each specific project. Conversely, as there may be cases where applicants who moved in after the reference date are excluded from eligibility, one should not make a decision based solely on the current address.
The announcement specifies whether only the head of the household can apply, whether individual household members are allowed, and to whom the support funds for minors will be provided. For households that have changed their address, eligibility should be determined by examining changes in resident registration between the reference date and the application date.
How to Apply and the Schedule You Might Miss
Most local governments operate both online application via official websites and in-person application at the administrative welfare center within the jurisdiction of the applicant's address. However, the availability of online applications, required documents for proxy applications, and identity verification methods vary by region.
During the first week of applications, some regions apply a weekday system based on the last digit of the birth year, or a five- or four-day rotation system. Since there are also programs with set deadlines, such as Uiryeong-gun where the application period is from August 10 to September 11, you may not be able to apply if you miss the deadline even if you are eligible.
Subsidies are often distributed in the form of local currency or gift certificates rather than cash. Yeongdong County has announced that the payments will be made via local currency, and eligible merchants, the validity period, and restricted business categories may be determined after distribution.
It is safer to check the application link on the official websites of cities, counties, and districts, as well as in announcements at administrative welfare centers. You must not use text messages requesting account passwords, security card numbers, or fee transfers as instructions for applying for the support fund.
Quick check order in my area
The first step is to narrow your residential area down to the city, county, or district level rather than the name of the metropolitan government. Instead of searching for "Gyeonggi-do support funds," it is easier to find the relevant announcement by including the name of the local government, such as "Suwon-si livelihood support funds" or "Wanju-gun livelihood recovery support funds.".
The second is in the announcement Payment confirmation status, resident registration cutoff date, amount per person, application periodIt is to check them in order. Expressions such as 'in progress,' 'scheduled for application,' and 'under review' should be read separately from confirmed payments, as they may be stages prior to budget, ordinance, or council resolution.
The third step is to verify the application channel and payment method. If you note down the online application address, visiting location, required documents, and whether the weekday restriction applies all at once, you can reduce the number of items missed during the application process for family members.
You cannot conclude that there is no support just because a region is not listed in the table. Since plans may not have been announced yet or the budget and payment timing may still be under review, it is more accurate to check the announcements from your local city, county, or district even after September 2026.
Conclusion: Look at the reference date and deadline first, rather than the amount.
The criteria for receiving the 4th livelihood support fund are not based on a uniform income threshold or amount nationwide, but rather depend on the resident registration conditions and implementation announcements of each local government. The reason for the significant difference in amounts, such as 500,000 won in Uiryeong-gun, 350,000 won in Tongyeong-si, 300,000 won in Wanju-gun, and 200,000 won in Sokcho-si, is that each region operates it as a separate program.
Verify residential area → Verify resident registration cutoff date → Verify application period → Apply online or in person Reviewing the information in order allows you to quickly sort through complex details. In particular, households that moved after the reference date and areas with an imminent application deadline must check both address changes and the application eligibility period.